Buchanan to Launch Chicago Office with 17 Intellectual Property Litigators

CHICAGO (January 3, 2025) - Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney is expanding its national footprint with 17 lawyers and six professional staff joining the firm in Chicago and New York. The lateral group will add a Chicago office to the firm’s existing national footprint. Of the 17 lawyers joining, nine are shareholders.

“We are thrilled to kick off 2025 with the addition of this lateral group and the start of Buchanan’s Chicago office,” said Jim Newell, the firm’s Chairman and CEO. “The group has deep experience in serving all areas across the life sciences industry and is recognized among the leading Hatch-Waxman litigation groups in the country. I know that our combined clients will benefit from their experience and from the full-service support our platform provides. “

Newell added: “The group is a strategic win for the firm’s overall growth. Chicago has been a target for expansion, and I know we’ll build success in the Chicago market and leverage the location for our clients. We envision further growth in 2025 with a focus on lateral recruiting in transaction practice areas.”

The lateral group is a significant addition to the firm’s intellectual property litigation practice group. The award-winning practice group handles a wide range of IP disputes including patent, trademark, copyright, unfair trade practices, trade secrets, appellate, and Hatch–Waxman litigation.

“We were looking for a firm with a strong national platform, an IP practice and a presence in the life sciences industry. We wanted to move to a firm with our team still intact, and Buchanan checked all the boxes when it came to platform and culture,” said Michael Gaertner, shareholder and head of the new Chicago office. “The Buchanan team has worked together for many years, and you can feel that collaboration and camaraderie when you meet with them. We’re looking forward to building upon that culture in the Chicago office and continuing to grow strategically to provide value to our local and national clients.”

The lateral group, which came from Locke Lord in Chicago, is one of the most active in the nation for Hatch-Waxman litigation and is well-known for its talents dealing with scientific and intellectual property issues across virtually all aspects of the life sciences industry and includes several members with advanced scientific degrees.

With their experience, the lateral group will serve as an additional resource to the firm’s life sciences industry group, which offers a rare and comprehensive mix of FDA regulatory, intellectual property, litigation and government relations services delivered through one seamless team.